English for Specific Purposes (ESP): A Comprehensive Guide
English for Specific Purposes
What is ESP?
The study of the English language is very important nowadays, as it lays the foundation for better communication between all kinds of people. ESP means the teaching of English for any purposes that could be specified. To be more precise, it is the teaching of English used in academic studies that could be vocational or professional. English dominates business, media, technology, medicine, etc., and for this reason, the demand for ESP is growing very fast. English for Specific Purposes is a term that refers to teaching or studying English for a particular career or business.
Dudley Evans defines ESP as meeting the specific needs of learners and focusing on the language appropriate to their activities in terms of grammar, lexis, genre, or discourse.
Characteristics of ESP
- Designed for specific disciplines
- Suitable for adult and secondary learners seeking professional work
- Often assumes basic knowledge of the English language system
- Content-related and focused on the language of activities (syntax, lexis, discourse, semantics)
Peter Strevens stated that ESP is designed to meet the specified needs of the learner and is related to particular disciplines, occupations, and activities. It contrasts with General English. He highlights two basic characteristics:
- Restriction to the language skills to be learned
- Use of specific teaching methodologies
ESP has grown significantly due to the increasing number of universities offering an MA in ESP.
Relation between ESP and EGP
Dudley-Evans and St. John challenged the absolute characteristic that ESP is in contrast with General English, stating that ESP is not always related to a specific discipline.
While ESP is likely to be used with adult learners, it can also be used with young adults in secondary schools. ESP courses have implications for the design of materials, presentations, and evaluations. The focus in ESP is on training, aiming to create a restricted English competence. The selection of appropriate content for the subject is generally easier in ESP.
English for General Purposes (EGP), on the other hand, refers to the needs that cannot be specified at the school level.
To clarify the relation between ESP and EGP, Widdowson established distinctive features between them:
EGP
- Focus on education
- Content is difficult to choose due to the unknown future needs of learners
ESP
- Focus on training
- English used in specific vocabulary contexts
- Importance of high-surrender value syllabus content
In ESP, learners are usually adults seeking to fulfill specific needs. In EGP, learners can be both adults and children who want to learn English. EGP courses typically focus on grammar, structure, and vocabulary.
Types of ESP
Learners have three types of expectations:
- Cultural-educational
- Personal and individual
- Academic and occupational
The first two relate closely to the learners themselves, while the last one is directly related to a type of ESP.
The three main types of ESP are:
- English for Occupational Purposes (EOP): Used when learners need English for their work or professions.
- English for Academic Purposes (EAP): Taught to students who require English for their studies.
Characteristic Features of ESP Courses
- Familiarity between teacher and students
- Addressing “language description” (Hutchinson and Waters) to understand learners’ needs and learning processes
- Well-organized materials based on interesting texts for vocabulary, communicative, and reading skills development
- Creating a positive and motivating learning environment
The Role of the ESP Teacher
The ESP teacher acts as a “teacher, course designer, material provider, collaborator, researcher, and evaluator.” They must be specialized in their area, design syllabi, select appropriate texts, establish evaluation methods, collaborate with students, continuously acquire knowledge, and fairly evaluate student progress.
Creating a positive learning environment and transferring skills effectively involves listening to students, providing feedback, offering support, building self-confidence, and focusing on the specific language skills students need.
Training of ESP Teachers
To meet students’ needs effectively, ESP teachers should undergo specific training:
- Selection: Ensuring teachers have the necessary skills and dedication for ESP.
- Continuing Personal Education: Encouraging continuous professional development.
- General Professional Training as an Educator and Teacher: Providing a strong foundation in teaching principles and practices.
- Special Training as a Teacher of a Foreign or Second Language: Equipping teachers with specialized knowledge in language acquisition and teaching methodologies.
The Significant Responsibilities of the ESP Learner
Effective ESP learning requires learners to take responsibility for their learning process:
- Interest in Learning: Maintaining motivation and engagement.
- Subject-Content Knowledge: Utilizing existing knowledge to contextualize language learning.
- Learning Strategies: Employing effective strategies for faster and more efficient learning.
By actively participating in the learning process and utilizing their strengths, ESP learners can maximize their language development and achieve their specific goals.